


Absolution

by Marta_Ayanami



Category: Sengoku Basara
Genre: Gen, I removed other tags; because they will be another ficlet, assume that this scene happened to him absolutely, if you see Mitsun in any of my fics, rather a for now onesided platonic puppy love version but no tag for that, written in three minutes sorry about that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-23 13:20:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7464891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marta_Ayanami/pseuds/Marta_Ayanami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But there was one Sin, Sakichi realised, that could never be forgiven, no matter how much devoted blood, sweat, and soul fragments he would have shed on it in the future.</p><p>But he was no priest of this new religion, this one true religion. And so, when the priest absolved him, he saw his own foolishness, and cried for joy. Pure now, pure as blood in his own veins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Absolution

**Absolution**

Sakichi was scared at suddenly being awoken in the deep of the night, but moreso, he was frightened at the stern expression on Lord Hanbei's face.

"Sakichi. Do you believe that Hideyoshi would ever harm you, as those ignorant villagers did?"

Sakichi quickly shook his head, wondering what sort of test was this, for surely the most brilliant Hanbei-sama would know, would know, woulda know good that such a thought would never enter Sakichi's mind.

"No!!! Nononononono!! No! Sakichi is... Sakichi wants... to be touched on shoulders by Hideyoshi-sama is bliss, to touch His fingers was such bliss, too, even more... Sakichi not... Sakichi would never think... such thing!!!"

"Why, then," Hanbei-sama continued, slight puzzlement in the part of his eyes that only Shadow could see, "do you seem so repulsed by Hideyoshi's touch? Do not try and deny. I have seen your reaction, with my own eyes.

 

Re... repulsed... repulsed?! Did it seem.... it must have looked like that, for Hanbei-sama to say....!!!!!!!

 

Sakichi quickly did a dogeza in front of Lord Hanbei, wondering now if he was worthy to kiss Lord Hanbei's feet right now, or whether the wise Lord would feel insulted by it.

"H-Hanbei-sama, please, forgive me!!! Sakich--- I... I .... I only did not wish to curse Hideyoshi-sama with my curse?!! What if it's... what if my curse, the curse of being a demon... what if it touch... what if spreads through... touching??!!"

And just as suddenly, Hanbei-sama no longer lookes stern. There was something gentle in his gaze now, something soft to touch (Shadow said so, at least), something understanding.

As if Sakichi took a peak at the soul of Hanbei-sama, though no, he could not, what a blasphemy it would be.

"It's my mistake, Sakichi-kun. I demanded for you to feel purified by Hideyoshi's presence, but your mind and imagination have been slightly frozen, and so, without help, you cannot. I do apologise."

Sakichi tilted his head, not sure what Hanbei-sama was saying right now, not sure what was happening, and suddenly, he felt the hit of Hanbei's whip squarely on the chest, taking the little demon boy's breath away for a moment.

It wasn't a hard hit. A single lash, and it didn't even feel like burning in despair and not willing to open one's eyes again. It didn't. Such gentleness... so pure and tender and soft, and with Shadows that felt so unholy that they became holy instead. Just like Hanbei-sama himself. Many a time, Sakichi had been hit much harder. So Sakichi did not understand... surely, something so gentle had no power of purification?

"Sakichi-kun, listen carefully. Maybe it didn't sting as much as you'd expect, but I do assure you, it'll leave a scar. When it forms, above that scar, write Hideyoshi's name. And if your body doesn't combust, it will mean you're no longer a demon, but instead, you're now Hideyoshi's blade."

Sakichi listened, with tears of joy and gratitude in his eyes.

And so, in a few days' time, he was no longer a demon.

Hanbei-sama did not, in his wisdom, specify how Lord Hideyoshi's name was to be written, surely trusting Sakichi to know. And so, Sakichi knew, and asked Gyobu for a tattoo.

And then he had it. For the rest of his life. Whenever Sakichi felt impure, whenever Mitsunari felt impure, he took one look at the sacred tattoo and sacred scar, knowing that no mere soldier has such two things, knowing that _Ieyasu's_ chest does not possess them either, and felt clean, and strong in his resolve.

When the gods bless you, you don't ask if you're blessed.

_**~~You just are.~~ ** _

_**~~For so hath been said by the Angel of the Lord.~~ ** _

_And now, deserved, any touch of Hideyoshi-sama on his shoulders, on his hair, wherever, was pure bliss and greatest honour, and such riches, that China's, Korea's, and Japan's valuables could never hope to match._

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is canon to all my SB ficverses, except for the one in "On that Day".


End file.
